The idea has taken off in the Netherlands, where both politicians and citizens have been posting "stemfies" on twitter - pictures of themselves in the polling booth, with a hashtag that combines the word "selfie" and "stemmen", the Dutch word meaning "to vote".

While the Electoral Reform Society were delighted with this "fun addition to the voting day ritual, especially for young people less likely to vote", the UK's Electoral Commission did not approve, swiftly announcing that snapping a selfie in the polling booth could well be illegal.

Whether or not the "stemfie" highlights the underlying impact of increasing youth voter apathy is up for debate. Since the last general election, youth unemployment in the eurozone has reached record highs and research shows that the resulting crisis is not only economic, but a mental health issue. The Hansard Society suggest that youth turnout at next year's British general election could be as low as 12%, down from 30% in 2011, and research by IPPR shows that non-voters have suffered more in the cuts and suggests that making voting compulsory for first timers could be a solution.

In 2010, inspired by the success of the Rock the Vote movement in the US, Bite the Ballot was set up to address the issue. Its representatives are touring schools to sign up voters and calling for increased political education in schools.

vInspired - together with a merry band of celebrities - is now on a mission to create a digital manifesto for the next election. They have recruited presenter Rick Edwards to make a film, by collating responses on social media to answer the question: what would make you vote?

Pixie Lott said she would vote if a party promised to abolish unpaid internships.

Some politicians and their parties have taken up the challenge. Nick Clegg has promised to announce his top five manifesto promises for under 25s on Twitter. And Ukip launched an attempt to get #WhyImVotingUKIP trending on Twitter. This they achieved, but the hashtag quickly descended into farce.

#WhyImVotingUKIP Because the overworked medical staff who saved my wife and daughter's life during childbirth were nearly all foreigners!

What do you think? Do you vote - if not, why not? Can politicians engage with the young electorate on social media? Should they deliver their manifesto promises in 140 characters or in a video on YouTube? Did you want to snap a selfie at the polls? Share your thoughts in the comments below and we will bring a selection above the line.